LISA Pathfinder: science and propulsion modules
Date: 27 August 2015
Satellite: LISA Pathfinder
Copyright: ESA/ATG medialab
In this image, LISA Pathfinder's science module (the white and gold coloured structure), sits atop the spacecraft's propulsion module (the silver-coloured structure). The craft's solar array is visible on top of the science module.
The science module has an outer diameter of 231 cm, a height of 96 cm, weighs 450 kg, and contains many of the spacecraft’s key payload components.
After being transported to low Earth orbit by a Vega rocket, LISA Pathfinder will use its propulsion module to raise the spacecraft in its orbit around the Earth and then to travel some 1.5 million km through space to reach its final destination: the L1 Sun-Earth Lagrangian point.
LISA Pathfinder will discard the propulsion module shortly before reaching its final orbital position.
Note: a version of this image with a transparent background and a clean cut out of the spacecraft is available here [png, 2.5 MB].
